THREE pharmacists are the recipients of the 2023 Tasmanian Pharmacist of the Year Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions made to the profession.
Nicky Maddern (Tasmanian Pharmacist of the Year), Elizabeth Hope (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Bianca Menzie (Early Career Pharmacist Award) were honoured by their peers at a gala dinner held in Launceston over the past weekend.
Tasmanian Chair of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, Kelly Beswick, said that the 2023 Tasmanian Pharmacist of the Year, hospital pharmacist Maddern, was recognised for her vital role in the establishment of Voluntary Assisted Dying services in Tasmania, first as the project lead for the formation of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Pharmacy Service and subsequently as its inaugural manager.
"The work that Nicky has undertaken is one of the best examples of patient-centred care, providing equal access to the most necessary medicines at the critical point in a patient's life," Beswick explained.
Lifetime Achievement Award winner Hope was recognised as a "trailblazer and an inspiring role model who has been part of the southern Tasmanian community pharmacy landscape for 48 years providing medications, support and health advice to generations of families living in Hobart's northern suburbs," said the Pharmacy Guild's Tasmanian Branch President, Helen O'Byrne.
"Both of Elizabeth's pharmacies are located in low socio-economic suburbs - Glenorchy and Bridgewater - and both typically have a high percentage of low-income families and sole-parent families, with young children.
"Elizabeth saw that there was a huge need for help and support to be provided to new parents living within these communities and set about providing the assistance that was needed in a non-judgemental, safe and trusted environment.
"For over 30 years the iconic Elizabeth Hope Baby Club provided parents and their children free and accessible access to pharmacists and Mothercare nurses with well over 100,000 consultations recorded," shared O'Byrne.
The 2023 Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Menzie was recognised as a "passionate, motivated, and dedicated young pharmacist who has been a valued member of the Statewide Hospital Pharmacy team since she achieved registration as a pharmacist in 2016," Beswick said.
One of Menzie's key achievements has been her integral role in establishing home delivery of outpatient medicines from Tasmanian Health Service pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The awards are jointly hosted by the Tasmanian branches of the main official pharmacy bodies.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 19 Jun 23
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 19 Jun 23
